http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/elig092210.pdf
Do a search on the PDF in the top link to see the other add-ons
Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5
A quest to buy, build, and enjoy a car from almost nothing.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Skyline & NSX-R now legal in US
EDIT: So while the form is correct, it looks like there are still hoops to jump through. 49 U.S.C. § 30141(2) says you need an importer, and to pay the fees.
http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/elig092210.pdf
"VCP" eligibility numbers are assigned to vehicles that are decided to be eligible under 49 U.S.C. § 30141(a)(1)(B), based on a petition from a manufacturer or registered importer which establishes that the vehicle has safety features that comply with, or are capable of being altered to comply with, all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards.
Do a search on the PDF in the top link to see the other add-ons
http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/elig092210.pdf
Do a search on the PDF in the top link to see the other add-ons
The future is here, mark my words.
I said I was a phone geek, or maybe just a geek... and this isn't a tech blog. But mark my words, this is the future.
Today AT&T (why them?) and Motorola announced the Atrix 4g. Put simply it's using a phone as a computer, but done right. They have a laptop dock, with a battery, screen & keyboard... the phone acts as the processor, storage, and modem. Similarly it can mount via another doc to a standard monitor, mouse and keyboard.
Seriously, this is it. So many of us have smart phones, that have supplanted our standard computers to a huge degree, while the movement to cloud computing is interesting, I think it will meet resistance from those who value the shred of privacy we have left. This brings the best of the netbook/cloud model, ala ChromeOS, and a 'real' computer.
So AT&T, I know you have problems, I know you're greedy SOBs, but please don't screw this up.
Video:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/06/motorola-atrix-4g-hd-multimedia-dock-and-laptop-dock-hands-on/
Today AT&T (why them?) and Motorola announced the Atrix 4g. Put simply it's using a phone as a computer, but done right. They have a laptop dock, with a battery, screen & keyboard... the phone acts as the processor, storage, and modem. Similarly it can mount via another doc to a standard monitor, mouse and keyboard.
Seriously, this is it. So many of us have smart phones, that have supplanted our standard computers to a huge degree, while the movement to cloud computing is interesting, I think it will meet resistance from those who value the shred of privacy we have left. This brings the best of the netbook/cloud model, ala ChromeOS, and a 'real' computer.
So AT&T, I know you have problems, I know you're greedy SOBs, but please don't screw this up.
Video:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/06/motorola-atrix-4g-hd-multimedia-dock-and-laptop-dock-hands-on/
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Reason #73 I am digging Miatas. Loosely financial content.
Upon poking around at Club Roadster I came upon the 2nd Chance Roadster thread.
One my gripes with so many cars is the cost for replacement parts. I had a friend who is a bit heavy handed break the door handle to my Lexus SC400, and it was about $100 to replace... for a used part. For my STi something like an axel, which is none-too-easily obtained from a Pep Boys, or O'Riely, is about $500 from Subaru. Odds of finding one in a junk yard hover around zilch.
Due to the ubiquity of the Miata/MX-5/Eunos/Roadster, as well as their involvement in racing, parts are plentiful, and frequently inexpensive, if not cheap.
...back to 2nd Chance Roadster. These folks make a business (not sure if it's a side gig, or a main thing) of these inexpensive (if not cheap) used Mazda bits. Few marquees could have someone offering rearview mirrors for $12 ($130 new for a WRX), or door handles for $18 ($100 used for a Lexus), or even an ECU for $65 ($150 for a Toyota 1JZ). Color me impressed.
...This is pertinent to myinterests thrift.
One my gripes with so many cars is the cost for replacement parts. I had a friend who is a bit heavy handed break the door handle to my Lexus SC400, and it was about $100 to replace... for a used part. For my STi something like an axel, which is none-too-easily obtained from a Pep Boys, or O'Riely, is about $500 from Subaru. Odds of finding one in a junk yard hover around zilch.
Due to the ubiquity of the Miata/MX-5/Eunos/Roadster, as well as their involvement in racing, parts are plentiful, and frequently inexpensive, if not cheap.
...back to 2nd Chance Roadster. These folks make a business (not sure if it's a side gig, or a main thing) of these inexpensive (if not cheap) used Mazda bits. Few marquees could have someone offering rearview mirrors for $12 ($130 new for a WRX), or door handles for $18 ($100 used for a Lexus), or even an ECU for $65 ($150 for a Toyota 1JZ). Color me impressed.
...This is pertinent to my
The piggy bank
Today I decided to empty the change jar, which has traditionally been a semi-annual affair. Well, I had emptied it about a month ago, but rather than being lackadasical about putting change in it, I was good and religiously put every stray penny, nickel, and dime in. $20.97 added to the fund.
..Also a word of advice, annual is a bad idea. Change is heavy and I lost the bottom to a change jar after waiting a year. Sure it was about $200 bucks, but it was $200 mixed with glass. Sorting change shouldn't be a dangerous sport.
..Also a word of advice, annual is a bad idea. Change is heavy and I lost the bottom to a change jar after waiting a year. Sure it was about $200 bucks, but it was $200 mixed with glass. Sorting change shouldn't be a dangerous sport.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Another bit to the pot
Today I sold the remnants of my ill-fated attempt at p90x; a pullup bar, and some iso-metric bands. A gym membership is much more my thing as I found out. C'est la vie, and another $40 in.
How we became a 1 Mazda family (so far)
And now time for another tale of woe.
November 28th was the birthday of my girlfriend of three years. November 26th was the day an old lady got the gas and brake confused on her car. She jumped 2 parking blocks, and a handicapped sign to smash my girl's eclipse. She hit it so hard in fact, that it moved from the parking spot it was parked in to a Jeep Comanche (owned by a fellow named Phillip Morris, I shit you not). In one fell swoop it was totalled.
This led to shopping at a pretty awful time. Two days until her birthday, and one day after Thanksgiving While a good time economically, it was a horrible time in terms of scheduling.
We looked at many many cars, Scions, Saturns, Minis and Mitsubishis. In the end we found a great car at a great price. A 2005 Mazda 3. So far I'm dead impressed with this car, the standard transmission is smooth and nicely notchy (yes, she drives stick, and yes, I know I'm lucky), peppy enough to move, and spacious enough to move (stuff).
In the relatively little time we've had this car, I'm dead impressed, and it soon won't be our only Mazda.
November 28th was the birthday of my girlfriend of three years. November 26th was the day an old lady got the gas and brake confused on her car. She jumped 2 parking blocks, and a handicapped sign to smash my girl's eclipse. She hit it so hard in fact, that it moved from the parking spot it was parked in to a Jeep Comanche (owned by a fellow named Phillip Morris, I shit you not). In one fell swoop it was totalled.This led to shopping at a pretty awful time. Two days until her birthday, and one day after Thanksgiving While a good time economically, it was a horrible time in terms of scheduling.
We looked at many many cars, Scions, Saturns, Minis and Mitsubishis. In the end we found a great car at a great price. A 2005 Mazda 3. So far I'm dead impressed with this car, the standard transmission is smooth and nicely notchy (yes, she drives stick, and yes, I know I'm lucky), peppy enough to move, and spacious enough to move (stuff).In the relatively little time we've had this car, I'm dead impressed, and it soon won't be our only Mazda.
Monday, January 3, 2011
I said I was gonna talk about money right...
So I need to let the cat out of the bag for those of you that don’t know me. I’ve worked in various areas of finance for a while, both in banking and brokerage. I’ve heard damned near ever scheme, fraud, trick, professional personal finance expert, investment expert, and charlatan. I’ve read Robert Kiosaki’s rich-dad poor-dad, and I know neither even existed, and I’ve gotten yelling-mad at Suze Orman touting herself as a deity of personal finance.
I’m not saying all of what they spout is rubbish. The basics; multiple streams of income, living within your means, and being mindful of expenditures and expenses are great. Then again even a broken clock is right twice a day.
But a word of warning, if the multiple streams of income are from hocking various personal finance books, and if you are a registered broker who speaks to millions and you were utterly clueless and continued to give bad advice during the financial meltdown of 2008, you hold no water and should not be trusted.
A bit of an outburst on what’s mainly a car/project blog… but I said I’d mention finance a bit, and I came across one too many ads for the two of them today. I’ll wax poetic about finance more another day, but I figured what better introduction to the subject than a rant.
PS. Ben Stein sucks too, and should be ashamed for schilling for the scam credit monitoring services.
PPS. Jim Cramer sucks too, but at least he’s smar
Miata Pr0n Vol IX, the Lightweight Miata
The Red BeastThat is a bit of an understatement. The owner says this car is 1900lbs, and 230hp.... that's 230hp at the wheels. So let's do a little math, and assume 15% drive trane loss, which is conservative. So that puts it at about 270hp crank.
Ok, 270hp doesn't sound like much, but let's put that in perspective.
Ferrari 360 Modena 272 hp/tonne
2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 323 hp/tonne
2011 SLS AMG 348 hp/tonne
That Miata is 314 hp/tonne
So, without waxing poetic about Colin Chapman, and the importance of weight... you have to admit, that's pretty badass.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Not Quite Miata Pr0n: Angry Pork Racing
This car has been hovering around the intardwebs mostly due to it's paint. The Angry Pork Racing pink miata is owned by George the fierce of Nasioc Fame... as a long time (holy shit, 10 years in April) member, I've seen his posts, and had the opportunity to meet the guy during a memorial for another Nasiocer while I was over on the East coast.
So, without further ado:
So, without further ado:
More at AngryPork.com
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Gimmicky Finance Articles: And how I hate them
Came across this a few days ago.
http://www.barefootinvestor.com/free-cars-buying-plan/
Click it if you want, but I'll tell you right now it's crap.
I have been meaning to start writing more financial posts, about 6 are started at this point, but it takes a bit more than just saying 'OMG this car is amazing' or 'I'm selling this xyz item'. So the article above was a great impetus.
The idea was to buy a less expensive auto, in the article they mention a Holden Commidore, and sock away money, and purchase some miraculous investment that nets almost 10% per year, and replacing the car they sell with one that never goes up in value. I'm pretty sure finance doesn't work like the toilet swirls and the Northern and Southern hemisphere have the same financial rules.
Another really horrible assumption here is the rate these folks would get, 11.25%. Things here could be different in Australia, but finance is generally pretty international with LIBOR and the US Fed rate moving most of the world. At any rate here in the US I see rates for a used 2009 vehicle at or below 5% for good credit. I really doubt rates would be that much higher for loans, and that much higher for interest in a savings account.
Now we have the same problem that I had with the DARE program as a kid, they explained how bad pot was by saying once it's lit it turns in to thousands of chemicals (and chemicals are supposed to be scary). Being a wiseass I realized that was oxidation, and you light the contents of your lunchable and there will be gobs of chemicals too. (for the record, no, I don't smoke pot, but have nothing against it)
You peddle me a bunch of bullshit as an appetizer, I'm gonna walk away from the meal.
It is good to save, and it can be good to pay cash for a vehicle rather than take a loan. But that isn't always the case. What I really want to drive home is think about what you are doing, don't take these bite-sized bits of advice as defacto truth.
http://www.barefootinvestor.com/free-cars-buying-plan/
Click it if you want, but I'll tell you right now it's crap.
I have been meaning to start writing more financial posts, about 6 are started at this point, but it takes a bit more than just saying 'OMG this car is amazing' or 'I'm selling this xyz item'. So the article above was a great impetus.
The idea was to buy a less expensive auto, in the article they mention a Holden Commidore, and sock away money, and purchase some miraculous investment that nets almost 10% per year, and replacing the car they sell with one that never goes up in value. I'm pretty sure finance doesn't work like the toilet swirls and the Northern and Southern hemisphere have the same financial rules.
Another really horrible assumption here is the rate these folks would get, 11.25%. Things here could be different in Australia, but finance is generally pretty international with LIBOR and the US Fed rate moving most of the world. At any rate here in the US I see rates for a used 2009 vehicle at or below 5% for good credit. I really doubt rates would be that much higher for loans, and that much higher for interest in a savings account.
Now we have the same problem that I had with the DARE program as a kid, they explained how bad pot was by saying once it's lit it turns in to thousands of chemicals (and chemicals are supposed to be scary). Being a wiseass I realized that was oxidation, and you light the contents of your lunchable and there will be gobs of chemicals too. (for the record, no, I don't smoke pot, but have nothing against it)
You peddle me a bunch of bullshit as an appetizer, I'm gonna walk away from the meal.
It is good to save, and it can be good to pay cash for a vehicle rather than take a loan. But that isn't always the case. What I really want to drive home is think about what you are doing, don't take these bite-sized bits of advice as defacto truth.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)